PECULIAK TO nOKSES. 99 



ANTIDOTE FOR THE BITE OR STING OF VENOMOUS 



REPTILES. 



Plantain Leaves {plantago major) 4 ounces. 



Lobelia Leaves 2 " 



Boiling Water 1 quart. 



Directions. When the mixture becomes cool, bind a quantity of 

 the herb on the affected part, and give the animal, as a drench, four 

 or five ounces of the remaining fluid, every four hours. 



THE ENDURANCE OF HORSES. 



Some curious experiments have been made at the Veterinary 

 School at Alfort, by order of the Minister of War, to ascertain the 

 endurance of horses — as in a beseiged town, for example. It appears 

 that a horse will live on water alone twenty-five days ; seventeen 

 days without eating or drinking; only five days, if fed but unwa- 

 tered; ten days if fed but insufficiently watered. A horse kept 

 without water for three days, drank 104 pounds of water in three 

 minutes. It was found, too, that a horse taken after being fed and 

 kept in the active exercise of the " squadron school," completely 

 digested its " feed" in three hours ; in the same time at the " con- 

 script's school," its food was two-thirds digested ; and if kept per- 

 fectly quiet in a stable, digestion was scarcely commenced in three 

 hours. 



SPRAIN OF THE FETLOCK. 



This is a very formidable lameness, and also a very painful one, • 

 and when a horse becomes the subject of it he should be immedi- 

 ately excused from duty, for every movement of the parts only ag- 

 gravates the difficulty. I have found the following liniment to be of 

 great value in the treatment of all recent sprains : 



Olive Oil 1 pint. 



Gum Camphor 2 ounces. 



Laudanum 1 " 



Sulphuric ^ther 4 " 



Dissolve the camphor in the aether, then add the oil, and lastly the 

 laudanum. 



In some cases of severe sprain of the pastern, or fetlock, I have 

 known cold water bandages to have a very marked effect in moder- 

 ating the pain and inflammation of the parts. 



TO RELIEVE MUSCULAR PAIN IN HORSES. 



The datura stramonium, or thorn apple plant, is a very excellent 

 remedy, as an external application, for the treatment of muscular 



